ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Richie Palacios hit a two-run single in a four-run fifth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of New York’s sloppy defense, beating Cam Schlittler and the Yankees 5-2 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
The Rays are one victory from reaching the American League Championship Series. Game 3 in the best-of-five playoff is Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Ben Rice hit a pair of homers for the Yankees, who are on the verge of elimination — which would extend their World Series drought to 17 seasons. They were dominated by Drew Rasmussen in the series opener and have scored just two runs in two games with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge out of the lineup due to a calf injury.
The small-ball Rays chased Schlittler, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner, in the fifth aided by New York’s defensive miscues.
Jonathan Aranda lined a single to start the inning and Junior Caminero ripped a double to right-center. With the infield drawn-in except second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was standing several feet further back on the dirt, Liam Hicks hit a bouncer to second that scored Aranda for a 2-1 lead. Chisholm’s only play was at first because he wasn’t all the way in like the rest of the infielders.
Chandler Simpson then hit a grounder that shortstop George Lombard Jr. booted, scoring Caminero to make it 3-1. It was initially ruled a hit and then changed to an error and eventually a fielder’s choice. Brent Headrick replaced Schlittler and struck out Victor Mesa Jr. After Simpson stole second, Jonny DeLuca reached on a grounder when Lombard’s throw to first was wide for New York’s fourth error.
Palacios followed with a hard single to center that increased Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-1.
That was plenty of support for one of the best bullpens in the majors.
Freddy Peralta allowed one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, Cam Booser pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and Ian Seymour gave up one run on Rice’s solo shot in three innings. Bryan Baker finished with a perfect ninth for his second save in two games.
Schlittler, who was 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and dominated Boston in the opener of the wild-card round, lasted 4 1/3 innings. He allowed four runs — two earned — and six hits. Schlittler only fanned two.
Rice sent a 2-2 changeup into the right-field seats to tie it at 1 in the fourth, ending New York’s scoreless drought in the ALDS. Rice hit 41 homers in the regular season. His drive awakened Yankees fans in the ballpark, who were drowned out by Rays fans until that point.
But a sellout crowd of 40,226 was mostly full of cowbell-ringing Rays fans who reveled in New York’s misery.
Peralta retired the first two batters in the fifth before Austin Wells ripped a double and Ryan McMahon walked. Booser replaced Peralta and walked Rice to load the bases but the lefty escaped trouble when Cody Bellinger flied out to the warning track in center.
The Yankees made three errors in the first inning but Schlittler limited the Rays to one run. New York became the first team to commit three errors in the first inning of a postseason game since the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1975 AL Championship Series against Boston, according to Sportsnet Stats.
Off the catwalk
Yankees rookie Spencer Jones hit a towering flyball off a catwalk at the quirky Trop that was caught by Rays right fielder Mesa for an out in the second inning. Jones kept running around the bases as the ball rattled around and fell to Mesa, who ran over to make the catch in center. DeLuca thought he was camped under it in center field but started pointing upward when the ball hit one of the two rings high above the field and below the roof. Mesa caught it several feet in front of DeLuca. Umpires conferred and confirmed the out, per the stadium’s ground rules.
Up next
Yankees LHP Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) and Rays RHP Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10) are the projected starters for Game 3.
Rays second baseman Richie Palacios #1 hits a two-run RBI, in the fifth inning.
Heroes, zeros and the inside pitch from the Yankees’ 5-2 loss to the Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS in St. Petersburg, Fla:
Hero
Old-school baseball. Baseball’s best team at putting the ball in play struck out just four times total in a game started by Cam Schlittler, putting constant pressure on a Yankees defense that wilted.
Rays second baseman Richie Palacios #1 hits a two-run RBI, in the fifth inning. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
Zero
The entire Yankees defense. Misplays, four of which were scored as errors, from (in order) Ryan McMahon, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Austin Wells, Spencer Jones, George Lombard Jr., Lombard again and Luis García Jr. led to three unearned runs and one of the ugliest playoff performances you will see.
Unsung Hero
Brooklyn’s Richie Palacios knocked a two-run single in the fifth inning that created far too much distance for a Yankees lineup that has not solved Rays pitching (apart from Ben Rice).
Key Stat
4: Errors by the Yankees — and they probably should have been charged with five — which tied with the second most in franchise postseason history
Quote
“It’s going to be a rough ride back, but you’ve got to find out what you’re made of. It’s gut-check time.”
In 1983, an American rock band called Styx released the lead single from an upcoming rock opera album titled Kilroy Was Here. The lead single–Mr. Roboto– enjoyed months of success on the Billboard Hot 100 despite contributing to the album’s concepts about fascism and the dangerous rise of technology.
The bridge of Mr. Roboto is where the payoff really comes in. The English lines begin:
“Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto, for doing the jobs that nobody wants to.”
When I think of Marc Gatcomb, the newest fourth liner for the Vegas Golden Knights, I think of those lyrics.
By nature, being a fourth liner in the NHL is all about doing thankless jobs. They sacrifice their bodies every night, finishing every check and eating pucks like rubber is part of the food pyramid. They make their living in the corners and around the net, often called the “dirty areas.” And they do all this for as low a salary cap hit as possible.
Through three games for the Golden Knights, Gatcomb, who previously played for the New York Islanders, is going above and beyond to do what is asked of him. He leads the team with 14 hits and has drawn a penalty.
In Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, Gatcomb demonstrated he can contribute offensively, too. After conceding the tying goal, Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig sent the fourth line over the boards to provide a spark. And they did just that: they made their presence felt with a heavy forecheck, which immediately led to a Canucks turnover.
Just 34 seconds later, Gatcomb got to the front of the net and finished off a pass from Braeden Bowman to record his first goal in a Golden Knights sweater.
Marc Gatcomb buries the rebound to put Vegas back on top ⚔️
“You want to try to tilt the ice back in your favor for sure, and do anything you can,” said Gatcomb following the team’s 3-2 win. “A goal’s always great, but that’s not always going to happen. But I think you just gotta try to get the momentum back in your hands, and that’s what we did tonight.”
Gatcomb was thrilled to contribute offensively, but he was most proud of the identity the new-look fourth line is beginning to establish.
“As a 4th line, you like to have an identity and a role as to how you want to play each night, and try not to get away from it,” Gatcomb said. “Ultimately, the goal is to win hockey games and to do anything you can to contribute, and that’s not always going to be a [goal], but anytime you can chip in on the score sheet, it's great. We’re trying to build an identity here. And as we continue playing, and playing how we want, I think the chances are going to come in our favor.”
The fourth-liner’s role is the most selfless position in hockey. The job description requires doing the jobs no one really wants to do, while expecting nothing in return. And who better exemplifies that thankless job than Gatcomb, the Golden Knights’ very own Mr. Roboto?
After a roaring 2-0 start to the season that featured 13 goals scored, the Pittsburgh Penguins were probably due for a bit of a regression.
And that happened in the third game of the young season on Monday.
The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Penguins, 3-2, in what was a flat, sluggish effort for the home team in black and gold. Ben Kindel and Declan Carlile each recorded their second goals of the season, but it wasn't enough to stop a third-period push by Winnipeg or enough to overcome their sloppy play in all three zones.
Rookie Sergei Murashov was in goal for the first time this season, and he was largely outstanding and kept the game close, stopping 30 of 33 Jets' shots.
"I thought he played well," head coach Dan Muse said. "You look at that first period, especially in the last five to seven minutes, some of the saves that he made. I thought that we were not on point, and he made some huge saves to kind of weather some storms there.
"So, that’s [all] you can ask for."
A no-score stalemate carried into the second period, as both teams had a hard time generating anything and getting any sort of sustained pressure. Finally, Kindel broke through midway through the middle frame when he deflected a high shot by Carlile into the back of the net. It was ruled no-goal on the ice due to a high stick but was overturned on an official review afterward.
Then, the third period happened - as did several defensive breakdowns. Erik Karlsson lost possession of the puck at the net-front, and it trickled right to a completely uncovered Alex Iafallo on Murashov's left, who buried it to tie the game. A few minutes later, Adam Lowry capitalized after beating Sam Girard to a loose puck in the crease to give the Jets the lead.
Carlile tied the game back up shortly after. Ville Koivunen - back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch Saturday - worked hard to win a puck battle and keep possession in the offensive zone, and he fed Kindel below the goal line, who already knew he was going to throw the puck to Carlile in the slot immediately.
But that lead didn't last long at all. Nine seconds later, Cole Perfetti one-timed a perfect pass by Josh Morrissey off the rush, and the Jets came away with the 3-2 win.
It was ugly. It was sloppy. But it was also only game three.
As philosopher - er, netminder - Murashov says:
"You can think a lot, but there is a saying in Russian: 'Morning is wiser than evening.' So, just take a good sleep, rest, and calmly think about that tomorrow, so we can get better from this game. There is always something good, and there is always something to improve."
Here are a few takeaways from this one:
- To be clear, Murashov is not going to be a perfect goaltender this season, as wise as he is for a 22-year-old. He's a rookie, and there are games where he's going to be off the mark. That's going to happen to any goaltender in the league, young or old, on occasion.
But, man, the talent is so clear.
The Penguins had a 10-4 shot advantage midway through the first period, and the Jets really turned it on in the back half, ending the opening frame with 12 shots to Pittsburgh's 11. Murashov had to make several grade-A stops in that timeframe, with his most impressive, perhaps, being one that came as a result of his own mishap.
Murashov loves to play the puck. Sometimes, to a fault. He went to play the puck in the low slot with a lot of bodies coming into the attacking zone and in the vicinity, and he gave the puck away to a Jet at the blue line. Somehow, he scooted back and went full butterfly for an stop to his left on a one-timer, and he made it look effortless.
That's not a save most goaltenders make. I have no clue how he was able to stay graceful enough to scramble back that smoothly or how he was quick enough to get back and make that save.
Maybe he could have saved Perfetti's goal. But, at the end of the day, the Penguins were in this game because of the rookie, who is still adjusting to NHL speed after a phenomenal AHL playoff run.
Well, maybe not, actually.
"Puck's the same size, net's the same size, and we're playing five-on-five," Murashov said. "So, [it's] basically same thing I got to do. But we have great coaches who help a lot with adjustment. It all starts from preparation, from summer, from training camp. When you're practicing on this speed or even higher speed, and even in harder situations, you embrace it, and then you just go and play.
Another phrase which our psychologist gave to me is, "Train hard, fight easy." So that's the approach to be ready for the NHL."
This kid is special. Expect some growing pains, but there's something there.
- This was a really sluggish, flat start for the Penguins. They may have reached a double-digit shot total in the first period, but it didn't feel like it. They had a hard time getting sustained zone time, many chances were one-off, and none were particularly dangerous looks.
They also had far too many turnovers - a few by Erik Karlsson and one egregious one by Connor Dewar - and made Murashov work way too hard.
It took them a while to get find their footing in the middle frame, too, but they were at least able to start generating more offense. Still too many good looks for Winnipeg, but a much better job as the game went on.
Once again, though, it's going to take some time for everyone to mesh. There are plenty of new faces on this team, and it's not going to be smooth-sailing every night, especially in the earlygoing.
- This sentiment has been making some rounds, and I felt this game was an appropriate time to chime in on the Dewar discourse.
To be honest, I was a bit surprised when he was extended this summer. It's not as if he's a bad player. Dewar, 27, had a really solid season for the Penguins in 2025-26 - recording 14 goals and 30 points in 78 games to go along with an impressive plus-16 last season, the last number being rare for a fourth-liner - and he and Lizotte have good chemistry on that fourth line. He kills penalties, and he's a key energy guy.
But for those who are worried about the Bryan Rusts, the Rickard Rakells, and the Evgeni Malkins blocking younger players from the lineup, the guys like Dewar are the central culprits. Dewar played well enough to earn a contract this summer, but at the end of the day, he's a replaceable bottom-six player.
I have a feeling that we're going to see a large rotation of sorts in the bottom-six to begin the season, with many different players - Dewar included - in and out of the lineup. But, if we're going based on training camp and the three-game sample size up to this point, I think all of Filip Hallander, Ville Koivunen, and Elmer Soderblom have been better.
We'll see how things shake out. But I think both Hallander and Koivunen deserve to remain in the lineup right now. In any case, this "rotation" is probably serving as a tryout of sorts to see who separates himself and earns full-time minutes over the others.
- As I said after the last game, I think all the new Penguins' defensemen have done some good things through three games. Trevor van Riemsdyk is good in front of his own net and makes some high-level stick plays. Kaedan Korczak has been good in his own zone, by and large, and is a shot-blocking machine.
However, I have been most impressed by Carlile. He blocked three shots against the Jets. He scored his second goal of the season to seal career-highs in goals (2) and points (4). He is good in the neutral zone and is more fleet of foot than I thought.
Karlsson was a bit of a mess tonight, but Carlile - his partner - managed to hold it together. This could be a Parker Wotherspoon situation again, although Carlile appears to have more offensive upside.
- Speaking of Karlsson, his "bad games" are fewer and farther between these days.
But, when they're bad, they're bad.
This was the worst game I've seen him play in a while, and Sidney Crosby was the same way. Crosby had four giveaways, and his passing was a bit off. Karlsson straight-up passed the puck to Jets on a few occasions and also misplayed the puck on Iafallo's goal.
When Crosby is off, the Penguins can typically find ways around that. When Karlsson is off, though, the whole team seems to be off.
This might be what folks call a "hot take," but right now, Karlsson is the single-most important player on this team. The game goes as he goes, the team plays as he does, and the season is most dependent on his performance and health.
Hopefully, he has a short memory with this one.
- Wednesday, the Penguins will face the Washington Capitals for the first time this season. Alex Ovechkin announced Monday that this will be his final season in the NHL.
For the second time in three years, the Yankees had a disastrous defensive game in the postseason and it cost them again, this time in a 5-2 loss to the Rays Monday night in Game 2 of the AL Division Series.
The Yanks made four errors in the loss, leading to three unearned runs, and they now teeter on the brink of elimination, down two games to none in the best-of-five series. Game 3 is set for Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Two years ago, the Yankee defense collapsed in Game 5 of the World Series against the Dodgers and they were eliminated. But even that game only featured three Yankee errors – in the box score, anyway.
Monday’s debacle was only the fifth time the Yankees have made four errors in a single postseason game. The last time was in the 2019 ALCS against the Astros.
The Yankees have scored only twice so far in the series, on two solo home runs by Ben Rice Monday night. No Aaron Judge, who is out with a calf injury, certainly doesn’t help.
Here are the main takeaways...
-- Yankee starter Cam Schlittler was not nearly as brilliant as he’s been in his previous postseason outings. He lasted just 4.1 innings and allowed seven hits and four runs (only two earned). He struck out just two and didn’t have a strikeout until the fourth inning and got only seven swings-and-misses. He also walked one. His career postseason ERA rose from 0.87 to 1.44.
-- The Yankees defensive implosion started in the very first inning and set a dubious club record for errors in a single postseason frame – three. The Yankees had never had three errors in one October inning and this is the 61st postseason appearance in the Yankees’ existence. The Yanks last committed three errors in an inning in any game on Aug. 21, 2025 against the Red Sox. The last time it happened in any postseason game was Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS when the Rangers did it in a loss to the Blue Jays.
-- Ryan McMahon, who has a fine defensive reputation, though he has not had his best season with the glove, made the first miscue when the leadoff hitter, Yandy Díaz, hit a topspin bouncer to him that McMahon muffed. Jonathan Aranda followed with a single and then Junior Caminero hit what could’ve been a double-play grounder to short. George Lombard Jr. made a not-that-graceful flip to the bag and Jazz Chisholm Jr. grabbed it and threw wildly to first. Díaz scored and Caminero went to second.
Then it seemed like Schlittler had Hicks struck out, but, upon replay review, Austin Wells was called for catcher’s interference – his mitt was clearly in the path of Hicks’ bat. That was the third error of the inning. They nearly had a fourth – Chisholm fielded Simpson’s grounder but threw high to second base, pulling Lombard off the bag. But Lombard got back in time for a force out. Schlittler got a grounder from Victor Mesa to mercifully end the inning. The Yankees only allowed one run, but all the gaffes forced Schlittler to endure some tense moments and extra pitches.
-- The Rays scored four runs in the fifth inning and knocked out Schlittler. They got some weak contact and used their speed to exploit it. Poor Yankee defense helped, too. Aranda started the inning with a single and Caminero followed with a ringing double. With the infield mostly in – Chisholm was further back than the rest of the infielders – Liam Hicks hit a grounder that was slow enough to allow Aranda to score.
Chandler Simpson later hit a soft grounder to short that Lombard couldn’t backhand and another run scored. The scoring on that play was changed several times, but it was ultimately scored a fielder's choice. But Lombard then made a throwing error to further prolong the inning and Richie Palacios added a single after an eight-pitch bout with reliever Brent Headrick that scored two more runs.
-- The Yanks went nine up, nine down the first time through their batting order as Rays starter Freddy Peralta looked sharp. But Rice tied the score at 1 with a 372-foot drive over the right-field fence. Rice connected on the fourth of four consecutive changeups from Peralta. Rice also homered in the eighth inning, giving him four home runs in four games this postseason.
-- In the fifth, the Yanks had a big chance with two outs, but could not cash in. Wells lashed a double into the right-field corner that looked a lot like the ball he hit in Game 1 and got thrown out trying to stretch into a triple. He wisely stopped at second this time. McMahon then worked a walk in a tough, seven-pitch at-bat. He was the last batter that Peralta faced. He came out with Rice coming up to the plate.
Rice worked another walk against southpaw Cam Booser, which brought up Cody Bellinger, who was 11th in MLB this season with a .340 average with runners in scoring position. Bellinger hit a deep fly ball to the warning track in center that held some hope, but it was caught.
-- Peralta, the former Met who got his pitching together in Tampa Bay, lasted 4.2 innings and allowed one run and three hits. He struck out three and walked one. The outing lowered his career postseason ERA from 4.32 to 4.03.
Highlights
BEN RICE! The Yankees finally have their first run of the ALDS! https://t.co/b7uVHF7PeQ
Celerbrini took part in warmups before the game against the Dallas Stars, but the team announced before puck drop that he wouldn't be playing. Alex Wennberg took his spot on the top line.
The Sharks fell 5-0 to the Stars, their first loss of the season. They had won their first two games with Celebrini picking up five assists.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky didn't have an update on Celebrini after the game.
"We will evaluate tonight and tomorrow and see where he's at," Warsofky said, per the Bay Area News Group. "He's still being evaluated. He's in the building, so he's with the team."
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 05: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays is congratulated by Victor Mesa Jr. #25 after scoring a run during Game Two of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 5, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
How important is the second game in a five-game series? Sarah Langs from MLB.com reminds us that winning the first two games of a five-game series is a significant leg up:
New York apparently did not get the memo the way they booted and threw the ball around for several innings in this contest. The bottom of the first inning saw three errors made on the infield with Ryan McMahon booting a routine hopper from Yandy Diaz to lead off the game followed shortly by a throwning error by Jazz Chisholm Jr and one more still when Austin Wells interfered with a swing by Liam Hicks. Despite the extra outs and the traffic on the bases, the sole run came on the errant throw allowing Diaz to score:
The second and third inning for the Rays was more traffic on the bases, but Cam Schlittler once again buckled down and stranded everyone. Through those first three innings, the Rays were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position in this game and 0 for 13 in the series. Ben Rice made the Rays regret the lack of production with a homer to lead off 4th inning on a poorly located changeup:
That home was quickly followed up by a line drive single by Cody Bellinger just past a diving Taylor Walls, but Peralta buckled down to strand him getting Spencer Jones (more on him shortly) and inducing an infield flyout to George Lombard Jr. The Rays went down somewhat quietly in the 4th with both Palacios and Walls striking out before Yandy Diaz scalded a baseball to the right center gap that Trent Grisham gracefully ran down. That batted ball was 103 off the bat with a .540 expected batting average, but more importantly, it was the loud contact that had mostly been absent in this contest the first two times through the batting order.
The fifth inning was the key moment of this contest, for both teams. In the top of the fifth, the Yankees mounted a two-out rally when Austin Wells hit nearly the same type of ball he did in Game 1, but did not have the same delusions of grandeur. That double was followed by walks to Ryan McMahon and Ben Rice before Cody Bellinger came very close to a grand slam. His 405-foot flyball would have been a home run in 12 parks, but Tropicana Field was just big enough to hold it in:
This Cody Bellinger shot was a home run in 12/30 ballparks
The Yankees would need about five minutes to regret how the top of that inning played out. The inning would begin with Aranda singling on a ball hit 109.1 MPH with a .650 expected batting average, but also looked very catchable in the moment by Spencer Jones. As it turns out, the data agreed as Jones had a terrible jump on the ball and let it play him rather than making the aggressive play like we saw Chandler Simpson do in his moment of game 1:
That hard hit was followed by a harder 112.4 MPH double to the right-center gap by Junior Caminero giving the Rays three consecutive 100+ batted ball events off Schlittler, but it would be the softest hit of the night that would drive in the first run of the inning. Liam Hicks would get absolutely tied up by a cutter, but the 55.1 MPH ground ball to second was perfect for the contact play with Aranda running because Chisholm Jr was the only infielder not up on the infield seam:
That event was followed by a fielder’s choice contact play by Simpson driving in Caminero. That would chase a frustrated Schlittler for the evening birnging in Brent Hendrick to strike out Victor Mesa Jr before the fourth error of the game by the Yankees extended the inning allowing the Rays to plate two more runners after both Simpson and DeLuca stole second base around the Mesa Jr strikeout on a Richie Palacios single that came after him swinging at ball 4 in a 3-0 count:
That would be the last hit with a runner in scoring position on the evening as the only other run in the contest would come on Ben Rice’s second solo home run of the evening.
Kevin Cash employed four pitchers on the evening: Freddy Peralta, Cam Booser, Ian Seymour, and Bryan Baker and it could be said Seymour was the best one of the evening. Peralta fought through 4.2 innings of work despite not having his best changeup. Peralta had 12 whiffs on the evening, but just three of those came off his changeup. Cash made the decision to pull Peralta at 66 pitches rather than allow him to face Rice a third time. Booser ended up walking Rice before getting the close-call from Bellinger before giving way to Seymour. The starter turne reliever worked three innings striking out 4, walking none, and the second Rice solo shot was the only blemish and baserunner of the appearance. Baker then came in for the 9th to secure the save with a 1-2-3 appearance.
Cam Schlitter came into this game talking about how games at Tropicana Field feeling like a home game because theRays don’t have a strong home atmosphere. For one inning, Schlitter’s statements were validated as that top of the 5th was quite loud on the broadcast but the air fell out of the visiting fans just as Bellinger’s flyball fell short of the wall. Aaron Boone needed to use five relievers behind Schlitter, whose defense did him no favors asking the young pitcher to throw more stressful pitches earlier than he or the pundits expected before the contest. Yankee fans have the thousand yard stare wondering how their road field advantage slipped through their fingers heading back to The Bronx with as many runs as they have losses to show for their efforts in Tropicana Field in this series.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, you now have company.
The stakes were not quite as high Monday, but the Yankees turned in an even bigger defensive abomination to put themselves in a 2-0 hole in the ALDS.
Three errors in the first inning somehow did not kill them, but it did set the tone for the night before another error in the fifth helped provide the dagger, sinking the Yankees in an embarrassing 5-2 loss to the Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS witnessed by a raucous sellout crowd of 40,226 at Tropicana Field.
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
“Obviously, tonight was just not good enough for us and certainly not good enough to beat that club,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got to get over it, and playing for our lives [Wednesday] night.”
The Yankees flew home licking their wounds with their season on life support, needing to clean up their act behind Max Fried in Game 3 and Carlos Rodón if they can get to Game 4 to have any chance of returning to Tropicana Field. Of course, they will also have to find a way to score runs, which they have only done twice in 18 innings of this best-of-five series — on a pair of solo shots from Ben Rice on Monday after suffering a one-hit shutout in Game 1.
In a recurring theme of too many postseasons past, the Yankees melted from the Rays’ ability to put the ball in play and wreak havoc, even with Cam Schlittler on the mound, resulting in four errors — one shy of their franchise record for a single postseason game.
“It didn’t seem like we really showed up today,” Schlittler said. “That’s what happens.”
After Schlittler had been dominant against the Red Sox in Game 1 of the wild-card series, racking up a career-high 24 whiffs and 10 strikeouts across 6 ¹/₃ shutout innings, he generated just seven whiffs and tied a career low with two strikeouts across 4 ¹/₃ innings. He gave up four runs, only two of which were earned, but the damage was done nonetheless.
Of course, Schlittler was the reason the Yankees survived a three-error bottom of the first — a new franchise record for the most in one inning of a playoff game — before Rice homered off Freddy Peralta in the fourth inning to give the Yankees their first signs of offensive life in the series. But after they left the bases loaded in the top of the fifth — Cody Bellinger’s fly ball to center landed a few feet short of a grand slam — they lost the game in the bottom of the frame.
The Rays put runners on second and third for Liam Hicks, with the Yankees playing in on the turf except for Jazz Chisholm Jr., who said he was told to be a few steps onto the dirt at second base because Hicks typically pulls the ball hard that way. Instead, the catcher hit a weak tapper to Chisholm, who looked at home before taking the out at first as the Rays went up 2-1.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero is safe at second on a throwing error by New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. allowing a run to score in the first inning during Game 2 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field, Monday, October 5, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
The infield was in again when the speedy Chandler Simpson hit a chopper to shortstop, where George Lombard Jr. tried to backhand it and come home, except the ball got past him, allowing another run to score.
“Against a good team like that, you can’t afford to make as many mistakes as we did,” Lombard said.
That led Boone to pull Schlittler, who looked stunned, for Brent Headrick, who got a strikeout before generating a ground ball to shortstop that Lombard fielded and fired slightly off-target to first, where Luis García Jr. dropped it, putting runners on the corners.
New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after ending the first inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, Monday, October 5, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg for New York PostYankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) reacts after striking out to end the sixth inning during Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
Brooklyn’s Richie Palacios came up next and delivered the big swing, a two-run single to center field that put the Rays ahead 5-1.
“I feel like we beat ourselves today, in a lot of ways,” Chisholm said.
The Yankees played a bottom of the first that was just about disastrous as it could possibly be, except by some miracle, Schlittler made sure it only resulted in a 1-0 deficit.
It began with third baseman Ryan McMahon — in the lineup because Boone said he wanted to “prioritize the defense” — whiffing on Yandy Díaz’s chopper to lead off the frame. Then with runners on first and second, Junior Caminero hit a grounder up the middle that Lombard ranged to and flipped to second base for the out. But Chisholm tried an off-balance, ill-advised throw to first for the double play, which instead bounced past the bag, allowing Díaz to score for the 1-0 lead.
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda (8) hits a single and slides to the base during the first inning against the New York Yankees in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Honestly, I’d probably still throw it [if I could do it again], in the play that was trying to be made,” Chisholm said. “I feel like I could have tried to make an even better throw. I’d try to throw it a little closer to the base. My back was turned, so.”
The third error was a catcher’s interference by Austin Wells, wiping out a strikeout, and Chisholm also had a high throw to second base that Lombard saved him on but wiped out a potential inning-ending double play.
“These guys worked their asses off all year to get to a position like today.” Schlittler said. “We expect a lot out of each other. It’s been great all year, but we just didn’t play our brand of baseball.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 5: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the game against the New York Knicks on October 5, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The wait has concluded, and the new-look Sixers look as strong as imagined through the first preseason game.
They defeated the Knicks 120-97 without the services of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Anfernee Simons, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona and, oh yeah, LeBron James.
It was a good test for Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe, who showcased the ability to hold their own without a full rotation. It was even an impressive night for the end-of-rotation guys like Jabari Walker, Caleb Love, Saint Thomas and Dillon Jones.
Call it a hangover or not, but the Sixers looked a step above the reigning champions.
The Jaylen Brown revenge tour is apparently not waiting until the regular season begins. He put up 22 points in 17 minutes against the Knicks and was effective from all over the floor.
First player reel of the 2026-27 Sixers (pre)season goes to Jaylen Brown, who looked absolutely dominant offensively on the floor tonight.
While the Sixers were absent Embiid, Maxey and James for the preseason opener, Brown flashed his volume scoring. He came out the gates firing from midrange and the low post to establish a rhythm, and ended up accounting for nine of the first 13 Sixers points.
He got it going from three, including a straightaway pull-up jumper and fadeaway corner three in the second quarter. He had a block on Mohamed Diawara just following the fadeaway, showcasing his two-way ability early in his first Sixers campaign.
If anything, Brown’s performance displays the luxury Philadelphia has in scoring power. Three of the four main offensive engines were out, and they did not skip a beat against strong wing defenders on New York.
VJ Edgecombe:12 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 4-of-5 FT
Edgecombe made his presence felt mostly in the paint, as his drives look as explosive as ever. He did not let a poor shooting night deter him from attacking the paint when given the oppurtunity, and was rewarded with a handful of free throws.
VJ Edgecombe looks like an improved, stronger version of the player we got to know in his rookie season. Some shooting inconsistency, but good buckets and great assists fill his reel from tonight's preseason matchup.
Edgecombe’s playmaking was on full display. He found Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for an easy look in transition and a beautiful dime to Dillon Jones late in the second quarter. Then, to finish the half, Edgecombe spun out of a double team on a drive, and found Caleb Love on the wing for the buzzer-beating triple before the break, giving the Sixers a 72-58 advantage.
Walker has made things interesting at the bottom of the rotation after his strong performance against New York. He was the best rebounder for the Sixers and was being a pest on the other end, doing the best he could against taller matchups like Karl Anthony-Towns or Diawara.
He finished 3-of-5 from three, joining Brown and Love as the only Sixers to make three from deep. He had a nice block on Pacôme Dadiet near the end of the first half. Walker took advantage of Dominick Barlow’s absence.
Last player reel for the night is a quick one for Jabari Walker, who really impressed me tonight with his long-range shooting and aggressive/effective rebounding.
DALLAS (AP) — Jake Oettinger stopped 14 shots and earned his 17th career shutout as the Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 5-0 on Monday night for their first victory of the season.
The Sharks were without star center Macklin Celebrini, who was scratched a few minutes before the start of the game due to a lower-body injury.
Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist, and Miro Heiskanen, Joel Kiviranta, Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Dallas.
Heiskanen’s goal on a backhand shot with 1:09 left in the first period proved to be the winner.
Yaroslav Askarov had 21 saves for the Sharks.
Celebrini, who was recently named San Jose’s captain, took part in warmups but left the ice earlier than usual.
Former Stars forward Ty Dellandrea made his season debut in place of Celebrini, the 20-year-old face of the franchise who assisted on Igor Chernyshov’s overtime goal Saturday that made San Jose 2-0.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Pontus Holmberg and Ilya Mikheyev each had a goal and assist, Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 13 shots to move into a tie for 20th place on the NHL career wins list, and Tampa Bay beat Philadelphia.
Vasilevskiy’s 372nd victory moved him into a tie with Andy Moog. Vasilevskiy needs two more wins to tie John Vanbiesbrouck for 19th place.
Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning, who have won two games since an opening-night loss to the New York Rangers.
Tyson Foerster scored for Philadelphia and Dan Vladar finished with 32 saves.
The Flyers are winless (0-2-2) through four games to start the season for the first time since 2013-14. Philadelphia has been held to two or fewer goals in all four games.
Point scored his first goal of the season with a deflection off a wrist shot from John Carlson at 16:05 of the first period. Holmberg scored 17 seconds into the second period off the rush for a 2-0 lead.
Foerster wheeled a shot from the top of the left circle that hit Tampa Bay defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous in front of the net to bring Philadelphia with one at 7:22.
Mikheyev made it 3-1 with a wraparound with three minutes to play. Hagel added an empty-netter.
Nikita Kucherov picked up two assists and now has 1,128 career points to move past Mike Bossy and Joe Nieuwendyk for 67th place.
SENATORS 4, BRUINS 1
BOSTON (AP) — Tim Stutzle had two goals and an assist and goalies Linus Ullmark and Samuel Ersson combined to stop 18 of 19 shots as Ottawa defeated Boston.
Stutzle’s multi-point game moved him into sole possession of sixth place for most points in Ottawa history with 413.
Ullmark started in goal for Ottawa, but wasn’t on the ice at the start of the third period. The onetime Bruin netminder, who stopped all 10 shots he faced in the first two periods, was on the bench five minutes into the final period. Ersson made eight saves in the final period for the Senators.
Ottawa’s Michael Amadio had a goal and assist, and Drake Batherson also scored.
Boston rookie James Hagan spoiled Ottawa’s shutout bid with a goal in the third period. Jeremy Swayman made 20 saves for the Bruins, who have lost two straight after opening the season with two wins.
Boston was outshot 24-19 and failed to score on four power plays.
JETS 3, PENGUINS 2
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Alex Iafallo had a goal and an assist, Clay Stevenson made 29 saves, and Winnipeg beat Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh’s Declan Carlile scored 8:53 into the third period to tie the game at 2-2, but Cole Perfetti scored the winner on a wrist shot just nine seconds later, assisted by Josh Morrissey, to put the Jets ahead to stay.
Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who have won two in a row after losing their season opener.
Benjamin Kindel also scored for the Penguins and Carlile added an assist. Sergei Murashov made 30 saves for the Penguins.
CLEVELAND — The White Sox are returning to Chicago one win from advancing to the American League Championship Series for the first time in 21 years.
Braden Montgomery lined a two-run double down the right-field line in the sixth inning for the go-ahead runs and Sean Burke allowed one hit in 5 1/3 innings of impressive relief as the White Sox rallied past the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Monday to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
Game 3 is Wednesday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field, where the White Sox have two chances to do something they haven’t done since 1906 — clinch a postseason series at home.
“They’ve been waiting 120 years, so maybe we can do it this year,” said Grant Taylor, who worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed one hit as he got his second straight save. “I think it’s going to be unbelievable. Those fans deserve it. They’ve been with us for three years of 100 losses and they’ve been with us a good bit this year giving us a lot of support as we’ve gone through this. So being able to give them a postseason game is going to be pretty special.”
The surprising White Sox improved to 4-0 in these playoffs — all on the road — and are one win from reaching the ALCS for the first time since winning the World Series in 2005. Chicago became the first team to reach the postseason after three straight 100-loss seasons, including a post-1900 record 121 defeats in 2024.
“Our club has been confident the entire year, regardless of the previous result,” manager Will Venable said. “They come in ready to play and turn the page. Now, we’re really excited to get playoff baseball to our fans.”
Munetaka Murakami hit an RBI single in the fourth to get Chicago within 2-1. Chase Meidroth added an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-2.
Jo Adell hit an RBI triple in the eighth and Chase DeLauter had two hits for the Guardians.
Gavin Williams struck out 11, tied for second-most by a Cleveland pitcher in a postseason game. But the offense failed to produce for the second straight game.
“We have had two-game stretches like this all year and we come right back. I’ve got a lot of faith in this offense. I have a lot of faith in this team,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us. Like I said, this team plays its best with its back against the wall.”
3-run sixth propels the White Sox
The White Sox went ahead with a three-run sixth.
Miguel Vargas led off with a base hit to chase Williams and advanced to second on a groundout. Randal Grichuk drew a walk before a wild pitch by losing pitcher Erik Sabrowski with Tommy Pham at the plate advanced the runners to second and third. Pham flied out to shallow left before Montgomery jumped on a first-pitch fastball to drive in the go-ahead runs.
Montgomery celebrated at second base before scoring on Meidroth’s single to right.
“I was just ready for something to attack, and I was ready for his hardest stuff. I gave myself my best chance to succeed,” Montgomery said. “I can’t even describe how it felt. It’s exhilarating. I was just taking it all in.”
Burke silences Cleveland’s bats
Burke came on with one out in the third. After Travis Bazzana walked with one out in the fourth, the right-hander retired 13 straight batters until DeLauter got a base hit to end Burke’s night.
Burke struck out six and threw 83 pitches, including 53 strikes, to earn the win.
“I was able to settle in and find my groove,” Burke said. “I’ve had openers before, but not in this situation, so I talked with a lot of guys. It’s just normal baseball when you get into that game.”
Taylor entered and allowed an RBI triple to Adell before Nathaniel Lowe flied out to end the eighth.
Guardians get on the board quickly
After getting shut out Saturday, the Guardians struck quickly with a pair of runs in the first.
Steven Kwan led off with a single and José Ramírez walked before Chase DeLauter’s grounder off opener Anthony Kay moved the runners to second and third. Sean Newcomb came on and intentionally walked Adell to load the bases. Lowe hit a high chopper to drive in Kwan, but Newcomb threw it wide of the bag at first, allowing Ramírez to score on the error.
It marked the first time in four games this postseason the White Sox were behind.
Kay faced three batters and threw 17 pitches, including eight strikes.
Williams strong early
Williams didn’t allow a hit until Kyle Teel led off the fourth with a single.
The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits in five-plus innings. He had eight strikeouts in the first three innings and became the first Cleveland pitcher to strike out five straight in a postseason game.
DALLAS (AP) — Jake Oettinger stopped the 14 shots and earned his 17th career shutout as the Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 5-0 on Monday night for their first victory of the season.
The Sharks were without star center Macklin Celebrini, who was scratched a few minutes before the start of the game due to a lower-body injury.
Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist, and Miro Heiskanen, Joel Kiviranta, Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Dallas.
Heiskanen's goal on a backhand shot with 1:09 left in the first period proved to be the winner.
Yaroslav Askarov had 21 saves for the Sharks.
Celebrini, who was recently named San Jose's captain, took part in warmups but left the ice earlier than usual.
Former Stars forward Ty Dellandrea made his season debut in place of Celebrini, the 20-year-old face of the franchise who assisted on Igor Chernyshov’s overtime goal Saturday that made San Jose 2-0.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Alex Iafallo had a goal and an assist, Clay Stevenson made 29 saves, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on Monday night.
Pittsburgh's Declan Carlile scored 8:53 into the third period to tie the game at 2-2, but Cole Perfetti scored the winner on a wrist shot just nine seconds later, assisted by Josh Morrissey, to put the Jets ahead to stay.
Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who have won two in a row after losing their season opener.
Benjamin Kindel also scored for the Penguins and Carlile added an assist. Sergei Murashov made 30 saves for the Penguins.
The Jets outhit the Penguins by 12, 23 to 11.
Up next
Jets: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night.
Penguins: Visit the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.
For the Padres, who find themselves in a 2-0 hole against the Milwaukee Brewers, manager Craig Stammen begs to differ over his two-time All-Star closing pitcher being predictable.
San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen doesn’t believe Mason Miller was tipping pitches during his outing. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Before the Padres were set to begin a team workout at Petco Park, a day before Game 3 of the NLDS, ESPN baseball reporter Alden Gonzalez wrote that Stammen said, “I think we’ve seen some of that from Mason, and it mostly happens in the appearances where he goes more than one inning.
“I think that’s definitely something strategy-wise that we were very comfortable with going into the game, but something going forward that we may have to adjust as the playoffs go.”
For Miller, he’s built a reputation as being one of the best closers in baseball, holding a 1.67 ERA and leading the National League in 38 saves last season.
In 66 games during the regular season, Miller threw 70 innings. In nine of them, he pitched above a single inning. In seven of those games, he didn’t give up a run.
San Diego Padres closing pitcher Mason Miller suffers a ninth inning meltdown against the Milwaukee Brewers. AP Photo/Kayla Wolf
Perhaps Stammen could be right that Miller wasn’t tipping his pitches. But Sunday night was the worst time for him to not be able to close out the game, as the Padres are on the verge of elimination.
While Miller was six of seven in save opportunities in September, his production trended downward, as he’s given up six runs, five earned, and has been hit nine times while giving up six walks.
Gonzalez reported that Stammen said Miller is still learning how to “keep the same adrenaline in one inning and bringing it to the second inning.”
The Brewers celebrate their walk-off victory. Getty Images
During his ninth-inning meltdown on Sunday, Miller was in charge of preserving a 3-2 lead but wouldn’t be able to hold up his end of the bargain as he would give up two walks and would throw his 40th pitch of the outing by giving up a two-RBI single to Jackson Chourio to make it a 4-3 loss to the Brewers.
Aside from Stammen not believing Miller is tipping his pitches, Gonzalez reported that 12-year veteran catcher Gary Sanchez wasn’t aware if he was tipping pitches.
“I think even if he was and we were aware of it, hitting 104 is not easy by any means,” Sanchez told Gonzalez.
The Padres and Braves are set to play at 6:30 p.m. in Game 3 on Tuesday as Nick Pivetta will get the start for San Diego.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 5: Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks moves the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during a preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the first game of their new era, the Milwaukee Bucks showed glimpses of their potential in front of Fiserv Forum fans, but ultimately came up short, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-97 in their preseason opener. Despite fouling out in just 14 minutes, Ryan Rollins led the Bucks with 15 points, while Kel’el Ware chipped in with a double-double, and both Bucks rookies showed promise. The Timberwolves were led by sophomore Joan Beringer, who finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.
After much anticipation, Taylor Jenkins rolled out his first set of Bucks starters—Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyler Herro, and Ryan Rollins—opting for veteran experience. Rudy Gobert won the tip but action lasted just two seconds before a technical delay. Wolves newcomer Jonathan Kuminga then opened the scoring on a slashing layup. A nice feed from Turner gave Rollins his first two and he doubled that on the Bucks’ next possession. Trailing 7-4, Rollins was sent to the locker room after a nasty elbow to the eye and the Bucks had their first substitution—Kevin Porter Jr. The Bucks generated plenty of good looks, but were largely unable to convert outside of Herro’s back-to-back threes with just over five minutes to go in the quarter. The good news? They hit the offensive glass, especially once Kel’el Ware and Jericho Sims checked in. More Bucks bricks—they shot just 6/28 for the quarter—and another technical delay brought the period to a close, Milwaukee trailing 31-20.
Ware looked to change that to start the second, nailing his second above-the-break three of the night, and despite the Bucks struggling to defend without fouling, a Turner three soon had them within three, 35-32. But Anthony Edwards sparked a 12-0 run that ended in alley-oop finishes from Kuminga and Gobert, forcing Jenkins to call a timeout. When action returned, Sims flushed his own—from Gary Trent Jr. no less (even if it might’ve been a shot)—but, moments later, the Bucks inexplicably let Jaden McDaniels sneak behind the defence for the easiest of twos after Kyle Kuzma bricked a free throw. And when LaMelo Ball swished a corner trey, things looked bleak. Jenkins noticed too, subbing in Brayden Burries for his first action. A three of his own and two assists for Trent threes brought life back into Fiserv, but Milwaukee still entered halftime with plenty of work to do, down 60-48.
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch pulled his starters to begin the second half and Rollins quickly found his groove with two triples and a sneaky layup, cutting the lead to seven. Dunks from Terrance Shannon Jr. and Joan Beringer momentarily paused the Bucks’ momentum, and by the time Jaquez was called for an eight-second violation I thought I’d developed tinnitus—there were that many whistles. With 4:42 left on the clock, Nate Ament checked in for his first action and Kevin Porter Jr. came to life with an offhand layup bookended by trips to the free throw line. But it was Ament who brought the crowd to its highest decibel reading, first with a corner three that tied things up at 74, then with an offensive rebound putback plus the harm. An ill-advised Ware three-point attempt led to an Enrique Freeman leak-out jam and, by the time the siren blared, the Wolves had regained their lead, 81-77.
Ware showed off his length to begin the fourth, swatting a shot, but three consecutive paint buckets by the Wolves extended the lead to 10 before two more forced Jenkins into a timeout. He came out of it with an interesting lineup featuring Caris LeVert as the most trustworthy ballhandler. By this point, the game well and truly felt like garbage time. Still, Burries showed promise, looking comfortable getting his own shot and setting up others, and Ware finished strong, recording a double-double as the Bucks went down 116-97.
Stat That Stood Out
0, as in minutes. That’s exactly how many Ousmane Dieng, Kasparas Jakučionis, and Bogoljub Marković combined to play. It’ll be interesting to see how Jenkins manages minutes for the rest of the preseason.
